French Mother
by Re-Chained Imagination
Summary: Fontaine comes to the brotherhood not as a member but as a caretaker. Will she lead the 6 teenagers to a better life. And will she be able to find love while making sure they all make it through high school?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Fontaine slid paint-stained fingertips over the wheel of her beat-up old jeep. The large wheels of the vehicle kicked up a cloud of dust at her accelerated speed, trailing behind her and looking for just a moment like it might morph into a tornado. The young French woman sighed happily, the intense heat of the New Mexico heat burning her fair skin.

She had only lived in this country for a short while but Fontaine already loved it. Finding life so much more simpler and carefree. France of course would always be her homeland but America had her heart. It also helped that mutant non-mutant relationships were better in America than they were in France. Such thoughts cause the young woman's bright face grew sad. Of course it wasn't perfect here. If people knew she was a mutant they still tended to look at her with mild fear but it was better than what she could have hoped for a year or two ago. It was also nice that she didn't need to worry about falling asleep just for someone to try and drown her in the Loire.

A soft breath passed between her cherry-sweet lips, reaching out absentmindedly for her water bottle. Just up ahead she thought she saw something small cross the road. At first she thought it was a coyote and simply passed it on the road. Out of the corner of her eye she saw that in her rear view mirror that the coyote was in actually a flea-bitten, emaciated German Sheppard. Suddenly the canine just collapsed in the middle of the road.

Slamming her foot against the breaks, she gripped the gear shift and put it into reverse. The jeep groaned as its gears ground against each other but she paid the sound no mind as she backed up quickly while watching the approach of a Diesel hauling Mac Truck approach. Struggling for a moment as her jeep finally came to a stop, she grabbed the door knob. At first the door didn't open. Leaning over she slammed her shoulder against the metal frame and was luckily held in place by her seatbelt as it popped open. The Mac Truck steadily drew closer and closer and the dog hadn't moved. Her fingertips glowed a deep grey color as she cut at the seat belt and tumbled out of the car, kicking her feet hard as she ran towards the street. There was no way she could save the dog by moving it, but maybe just maybe…

Fontaine leaped over and covered the animal's body with her own to keep it from moving. The dog opened his tired brown eyes and looked at her for a moment. Tail wagging slightly a shadow engulfed them both and allowed the Mac to stampede through them and continue on its merry way, the driver shaken.

The French woman slowly sat up and looked at the truck as it became smaller, heart still racing at the near death experience. Shaking her head in disbelief she slowly stood up and bent down. Grabbing the dog she began to carry the heavy 85 pound furball to her car.

"Stupid Américain Drivers."

Later that evening Fontaine sat on the over-starched blankets in her motel room, carefully breaking up bits of ground beef and offering it to the malnourished canine. So far the weak animal hadn't moved around much except for the occasional bathroom break but he had been eating a little and drinking most if not all the water she provided in a makeshift bowl. When the dog began to nose the Styrofoam plate the meat came on with more curiosity she stood up and moved away, carefully setting it down on the floor. Luckily the dog took the hint and climbed off the bed to eat, allowing Fontaine to finally get a better view. His fur was brownish-black which was not uncommon with the breed but his thick fur was matted in some places. It was so bad in a few areas that she wasn't entirely sure that she could brush it out. Walking over to the table she had thrown her duffle bag on she began to search the contents until she pulled out a pair of scissors. She used the time she dog ate to carefully snip away at his fur, trying to keep it tidy while also getting all the knots out. Satisfied with the end results, even if his fur looked uneven she set the metal scissors down and slid her fingertips through his fur.

"Que ressentez-vous?" A small smile came to her face as the dogs ears twitched, gaining his attention with the foreign tongue.

"Ah, so you like the langue française? I do not blame you. Most homes find the language séducteur. What about you, eh? Love the français caniche?"

The dog turned and licked at her cheek, tail wagging as he looked at her with his wise shadowed-blue eyes. Fontaine curled her paint stained fingertips into his fur, giving him a gentle and tender scratch behind his ears. As she showed him the much needed affection he tilted his head up and revealed an old leather collar that looked like it had been used as a puppy's teething ring. While crouched Fontaine crab-walked awkwardly around to his side and tilted her head, eyes sliding over the metal plate with a name stamped into it. Diego.

"Eh, your owner was espagnol. Did he leave you out there, moi homme?" Diego's tail dropped slightly for a moment and as she went to console and baby the poor dog she didn't notice the few metallic items around the room; the scissors for one float slowly rattle and life up, floating around the room. Seeing this first Diego's fur bristled in warning as he snarled. Alarmed she stood up and reached out to catch the scissors as someone knocked on the door.

Diego ran for the door and pressed his muzzle against the crack, huffing and snarling a warning at whomever he felt was a threat.

"Diego! Come here moi homme! Viens ici!" The command didn't go unheard and slowly the dog eased back as the hinge on the door bent inward and splintered the wood. Hand outstretched magneto relished the coursing of power that went through his pain as he tossed the door aside without even a thought.

"Hello my dear. I don't believe we've had the chance to be introduced."

The man was old, that much she could tell from his face despite the fact he wore a deep magenta metal helmet and a cloak over his dark suit. The effects weren't exactly terrifying…more like silly looking. He looked like a villain you might see in a comic book.

"A gentleman always introduces himself first Monsieur." She spoke tartly.

Magneto smiled down at her, but she didn't get that reassuring kindness she might from anyone else. The smile also produced another hostile snarl from the dog.

"Erik Lensherr. And you are Fontaine Belmany." The young mutant felt panic rise inside of her; not because the man knew her name but because he had the power to find out anything, not only kill her.

"You do your homework well, Monsieur. Now, what is it want?" Magneto gave a chilling laugh.

"Why…you my dear."

She didn't know what convinced her to actually talk to this powerful and possibly insane mutant, much less have coffee with the man! But she didn't have much reason to distrust him except for the thousands of people that had died because of his choices. He hadn't done anything to harm her or Diego, and for that she was willing to at least listen. Hey! It got her free lunch anyway.

She was relieved that he changed out of his armor before they went out though; aware that the magenta metal he liked to cover himself in would bring a bit of unwanted attention. Sitting down in a chair the waitress came by, took their orders and left them alone to chat.

Carefully she eased back in her chair, watching Diego from the window. She had left him in the car with water and the windows rolled down but he looked agitated to be separated. Sighing softly she turned her eyes away, unaware that when she did the dog slid through the shadows that were in the floorboard of the Jeep and passing through the in-between world, appearing beneath the corner table. Satisfied with himself, Diego laid down beside her feet.

"What exactly did you want from me Erik? Not that I'm not flattered, monsieur." She looked at the man from beneath her lashes, staring him in his steely blue eyes.

"How are you with children Miss Belmany?"

The unexpected question had the woman tilting her head, completely thrown off by the unexpected topic.

"I have some experience as a child, watching the smaller children of the orphanage with mon frère, after our parents were…lost. Why do you as-"

The older man pulled a fat manila envelope from the coat of his jacket and dropped it before her. Giving the rude polish mutant an irritated look she reached out and flipped it open, pictures of multiple teenage mutants before her causing either mischief or just looking disgruntled.

"I need you to watch over these kids. The woman who was in charge of them has.. proven insufficient. This is where you come in."

The French woman gave him a look before her eyes fell back to the papers, carefully reading through them and the pages of unpaid bills as their coffee was brought from them. She didn't speak until she had studied everything.

"So you want a tuteur, guardian for this bunch of ruffians? Why can you not do this, Monsieur Lensherr?"

"I don't have the time or the interest in watching them. I will provide you with the means to feed and care for them. You just make sure they don't get killed and graduate high school. This is all I require of you Miss Belmany."

Staring at him silently once more she gently closed the folder and leaned back.

"I will do this, but I am not part of your organization. Understand?"

The mutant smirked slowly before he began to pull out the things she would need, speaking with amusement. "I understand perfectly."

Fontaine walked into the condemned building that made up the branch of the Brotherhood that rested in Bayville. From what Erik had decided to share with her this was where the teenagers that were part of his group of terrorists resided. They also weren't apparently too smart and that included his own son Pietro Maximus, also known as Quicksilver. She was here to keep an eye on them and make sure they didn't get into much more trouble than what Magneto wanted them to get into. To say she was thrilled to be there would have been an exaggeration.

The walls seemed to be mostly holes and craters instead of well, sturdy and maybe recently painted walls. The carpet covered floors were spongy with mold and old urine, a smell that graced the air with its pungent odor. Wrinkling her delicate nose she stepped aside to allow the canine entrance before closing the door. Moving forward she couldn't help but flinch when it fell off its hinge behind her, just barely clipping her heel.

"Que l'enfer doux ai-je entré?" Diego let out a soft growl in response.

"Hey lady, what do you think you're doing here?" She whipped around to see a short scrawny kid. Tilting her head, something about the air changed. The urinated aroma was pierced by…by…

Fontaine had to hold back the need to vomit. When was the last time this kid had bathed? With soap!? Where all American's as foul as this toad faced teenager? Fontaine sincerely had hoped not, or she would get her butt back to France. Mutant prejudice or not!

"Bonjour, young Monsieur…I am Fontaine. Magneto sent me to keep an eye on you and your… brothers." She frowned slightly as she lifted her foot, having stepped in something.

Her eyes went wide with horror, eyeing the brown half solid substance.

"Hey! You found my pudding." The teenager hopped forward and scrapped the half spoiled pudding off her heel. She reached out and slammed a colored hand against the food, dissolving it.

"Hey, my lunch.." The skinny teenager eyed her with annoyance.

"If you are calling that lunch, petit-Américain then we surely have a problem." She shuddered and stepped back.

Turning away from the teenager she walked towards the stairs, Diego keeping just at her side. She could hear toad following her, continuing to prattle on with annoying and unanswered questions but she just ignored him for now. Until she figured out how to disinfect him. The French woman tried to guess how many layers of dirt covered his skin and decided that maybe she didn't want to know.

As she passed the many open doors, loud music coming out of two she looked for an unoccupied room. Passing one she gained the attention of a girl with short black hair, whom stood up and walked to the door to peek out.

"Honey-britches! I knew you couldn't resist being separated from me for lo-"

"Who is that?" Her stern and slightly irritated tone broke through the beginning of Toad's lovey-dovey rant. Brought up short he blinked his massive eyes before tentatively speaking.

"Uhm, that's some lady Magneto sent or something. She's like Spanish or something, sweetie-poo."

Wanda leaned against the doorway and looked at the woman, crossing her arms with a thoughtful look covering her face. Tabitha, having heard the conversation opened her door and leaned out as Fontaine passed and entered an unoccupied room, closing the door behind her.

"Magneto sent her? She doesn't look too tough." Tabitha rolled her eyes slightly at the closed door.

"Are you kidding? She like, totally disintegrated my pudding with a glow-ey attack yo." Todd leaned against Wanda and tried to give her his most suave look, which amounted to what looked like a frog standing up straight and making a lady-gaga kissy face that would make the singer herself commit emergency plastic surgery on herself.

The ground shook slightly as down below as Fredrick and Lance walked in, Pietro moving to get up the stairs before them as they shouted about the hunk-of-junk Jeep that was sitting out in front of the Brotherhoods home.

"Whoscaristhatoutside? Dowehaveanewmember? Doesheknowthatimincharge?" Wanda gave her brother a mildly irritated look. Parting her black lips to speak, Todd cut her off.

"It's a Spanish lady and I don't think she'll care, yo."


	2. Chapter 2

**Waking up to a fantastic review made my day. Thank you my lovely Guest, I am truly happy that you like Fontaine. I'm aware that most OC stories where the OC is the main character doesn't work, but I spent a lot of time watching the episodes, reading a few comics and doing general research WHILE developing Fontaine Belmany as a charter. So I feel she will fit in quite well. Anyway! Reviews are loved but I wont pressure you. Just know reviews inspire me to write more. Enjoy3**

Chapter 2

_Warm sheets, a small one room apartment in the heart of Saint-Étienne. The little girl who was not yet asleep could feel the warmth of her brother Alphonse pressed against her boney shoulder, both of their parents on either side to add extra warmth to the twins. Fontaine enjoyed the safety of sleeping in the same bed with her family, unbothered by the fact that they had very little. She had her family, her brother. As long as she kept her secret they were safe. Feeling the eyes of someone staring Fontaine slowly opened her eyes and smiled at her brother Alphonse. Unlike his sister who was tanned from hours outside and the inherited dark tresses, He was pale as the light of dusk with platinum blonde hair. Not looking alike suited the siblings just fine but Fontaine couldn't help wishing she was as short as her brother. She felt like a giraffe they had seen in pictures at school._

"_Vous devriez être endormi." Alphonse scolded his sister in a whispered voice, reaching out towards his sister slightly. The twins twined their fingertips together. _

"_Vous devriez en faire, Alph. Mère va être fou si on dort en classe à nouveau." She tightened her fingertips around his but neither child truly worried. _

_Both new their mother, though very strict would just roll her eyes and tell them to go finish their homework. The sound of shouting down in the streets could be heard, the edges of the only window beginning to glow orange with a fire down the road. Every night it was like this, as families slept Mutant-hunters entered homes of the accused and stole people from their bed's, taking them off to be drowned in the Loire. Fontaine began to shake slightly, looking at her brother with wide eyes._

"_S'il vous plaît ne les laissez pas me prendre mon frère." Her scared little voice came out a whimper as the noises grew closer. Alphonse scooted closer and hugged his sister tight. _

"_Its okay. C'est notre secret. Je te protégerai." Fontaine jerked, her small hands glowing brightly in response. With a strangled cry she balled her hands together and tucked them between Alphonse chest and her own. Their father waking and assuming it was just a nightmare, tucked the blankets around them but did not sit up, tiredly his began to sing a lullaby to the two which helped them relax. _

"_Petit enfant, n'ayez pas peur_

_Les livres de pluie dures contre la vitre_

_Comme un étranger indésirable_

_Il n'y a pas de danger_

_Je suis ici ce soir_

_petit en fant_

_N'ayez pas peur_

_Bien que le tonnerre éclate_

_Et éclair_

_Illumine votre visage Tearstained_

_Je suis ici ce soir_

_Et un jour, vous saurez_

_Que la nature est donc_

_Cette même pluie qui vous attire près de moi_

_Tombe sur les rivières et les terres_

_Et forêts et de sable_

_Fait le beau monde que vous voyez_

_Le matin-…."_

_As the words faded so did the dream, but Fontaine couldn't help but feel that if she hid her secret like the sin she once believed it was then her entire family would be safe then maybe they would be together forever. How naive she was to believe it would remain that way. And how tragic the reality of life would be when she learned the truth._

Fontaine opened her eyes as a blinding light of lightening flashed into her dark room, the boom of its echoed growl making the crumbling foundation of The Brotherhoods home rattling around them. Diego raised his head and gave an uneasy growl as the ceiling above the bed, and no doubt all around the house began to leak. The French woman gave her own growl as her bed grew increasingly damp.

"When I see Monsieur Maximoff again I will personally take his cou épais in moi petite hands and give him a shake." Flicking the wet blankets off the bed she rolled to her feet and walked over to her duffle bag. More leaks began to make themselves present as she pulled free the manila folder and looked at her current allowance for the brotherhood. Right now she only had a few thousand, hardly enough to fix a roof and feed a house full of hungry mutant teenagers.

Raising her hand skywards, the motion and her irritation fueled the need for a umbrella like barrier between her and the wet. Flingers glowing a opaque blue, solidifying above her head in arch, holding the end so it would remain above her head while she scowled. The places smell, atmosphere and the utter despair that she felt. This didn't even include how unfitting it was for the children to live in. Fontaine had lived in squalor but at least her home had been clean and tidy to a certain degree.

Snapping the folder shut with as much force as she could, she slid it into the waterproof confines of her duffle, quickly changed into jeans and another one of her infamous tank-tops and made sure to put shoes on before she walked out of the room, Diego following her. She would begin with a patch job and then she intended to call up the metal-manipulative mutant and demand he either a., send her more money or b., move them all to a better place to live.

To say the members of the brotherhood where heavy sleepers was a lie. They all were in all actuality incredibly light sleepers, especially Lance after his little tryst as an X-men. So it came as no surprise when nearly an hour later, the sun barely beginnings its attempt to shine through the massive black storm clouds that they were rudely awoken but what sounded like feet on the roof. Todd immediately rolled out of the bed that he slept in.

"Reindeer on the roof! We gettin' presents, yo!" Todd hopped up in his own childlike excitement as his roommate, Fred opened a blood shot eye and crankily lifted up his nightstand and flung it at the toad-mutant. The poor kid nearly got brained.

"That's not cool, yo."

At Todd's un-witty comment was voiced the sounds of the other Brotherhood members could be heard. Lance walked to their door in his dull brown pajamas, raising a hand to ruffle his extra untidy hair, making it a matted mess. **(I have dreams of taking a brush to that mess.. Seriously people.)**

"What the heck is going on? Can't a guy get some sleep!" He gave Todd a scornful look, Pietro running in without giving the boy a chance to defend himself.

"Quit your bickering! If it was Toad then he would be on the roof!"

Irritated by the blondes statement Lance contemplated making the earth rattle to make the speed-mutant fall on his face the next time he tried to show off. After a moment he shrugged the idea off… for now anyway.

"Whatever. Then who's on the roof in the middle of a storm?"

"I still say its Santa Claus, Yo."

"Shut up Toad!" Both boys harmonized order had Todd shrink back and look downcast. No one ever listened to him. A cough could be heard behind them, causing the boys to turn and look at Wanda.

"It's Fontaine. She's patching the roof up. Haven't you noticed the lack of leaks?"

The boys all tilted their heads up, minus Fred who was snoring loudly on his mattress; the frame it formerly had was too bent for proper use. That poor piece of furniture. The ceiling however, though still full of more holes than moth-bitten curtains was certainly without leaks or patches of sunlight. This was both good and bad for the Brotherhood. Now they wouldn't get sick from the cold and rain, but they didn't have electricity so now it would be decidedly harder to make their way around the big home. A few moments later it seemed like the feet where finally making their way back across the roof before all was silent. Fontaine climbed down to the hallway window and climbed back in, soaked from her adventure but pleased. Diego who had gone unnoticed by all only wagged his tail at her reappearance. Nearly all the kids, save Fred and Tabitha spilled out of the room to look at her with gaping or confused expressions. Looking at them with her ghost-grey eyes she raised an eyebrow.

"I am not fond of sleeping in puddles. I would hope you are all equally unhappy with such bedding, Oui?" They all nodded as she bend, grabbed a duffle and made her way downstairs to the long forgotten dining room. It still had a table and she needed a place to work. Finding the doors intake she closed but did not lock them and got to work. The kids shared uneasy yet mildly hopeful looks.

"I do not care, Monsieur Maximoff! You hired me to care for these children, two of which are you son and daughter! Either send the money for their care or move us, Que Dieu m'aide! Ne te fait rien même d'un pouce pour l'un d'eux!?" She pulled the phone away from her ear and mashed the End Call button. She wasn't, even for a minute afraid of the metal bending man. But she had to give him credit… wait no she didn't. He was a horrible financier to The Brotherhood. It was a shock to her that none of the kids hadn't gone and stayed permanently with Professor Xavier. Sure she hadn't actually met the gentleman but there had been a few pictures from The Brotherhoods failed missions tossed into the file, no doubt to tempt her into joining the team. Waste of time that was. Rubbing her eyes for a moment, she tried to relax and gather her thoughts. Carefully pushing the list of things that needed to be done to this house aside she decided to pull out the information on the little team.

Fontaine had plans for these kids, oh yes. In the end she couldn't force them to change sides or become neutral. But she could help them overcome the problems they all needed desperate help and fast before they became true criminals. Not just juvenile delinquents. Talking the photos she spread them out before her and slowly stood up, slowly beginning to sort them in the order she decided she wanted to tackle them. First was Fred and Todd. Decidedly the simplest if she guessed correctly.

Fred just needed to learn self confidence. So he was big, sort of indestructible due to either his mutant or all those layers of fat and strong. He was also decidedly overly sensitive and dumb as a bag of rocks, but what did she expect. Hopefully she could work her way into his trust and begin to teach him not everyone in the world was laughing at him. Then maybe his temper could be put under control.

Todd just really needed a bath, plan and simple. And maybe some lessons in posture. He stank to high heaven, and Fontaine didn't want his smell peeling any paint the home would soon have. Plus she was tired of feeling nauseous around the goofball. Then again that may not have been entirely to due with his personality.

Next would be Tabitha. Boom Boom, as she liked to be called was a wild card. The French woman absolutely detested wild cards. Mostly because they tended to ruin everything she was trying to achieve. Reuniting Boom Boom sounded like the best option while putting her scum-bag of a jail was also a good idea. She didn't think the girl was bad, just a stupid teenager. One who needed a real parent, not a substitute.

Then she would handle Lance, or she would get him while she got Todd and Fred. He had already tried to be an X-men once, and from the file said he was a regular fence hopper, falling into the Hero role without trying. She could use him to help with the others.

Then finally would Pietro and Wanda Maximoff. Wanda's memories had been entirely wiped out and that made her loyal to Erik. If she could restore the girls memories while keeping her trust and assuring that the girls relationship with her brother stayed somewhat intact then it would work out. She really wanted the girl to have a normal life outside of an asylum. Her brother, on the other hand she wasn't sure how to handle. Maybe with time she could formulate a proper plan for the speed-mutant.

Fontaine stacked the pictures and shuffled in the files before hiding them away. Diego looking up from his spot on the floor, whoofing softly at his mistress as she approaching. Crouching down with a sigh she gently rubbed his ears.

"A lot of work ahead of us, mon ami."

With a woof the dog wholeheartedly agreed.

**Thanks for reading this installment of French Mother. I'm thinking of changing the name though. If someone has a suggestion that works I might consider changing it. Anyway, please Review if you can. Ciao!3**

**Translation from the beginning in French:**

**You should be asleep. **

**So should you, Alph. Mother is going to be mad if we sleep in class again. **

**Please don't let them take me brother. **

**Its okay. Its our secret. I'll protect you.**

**~Song Lyrics, I do not own~**

**Little child, be not afraid**

**The rain pounds harsh against the glass**

**Like an unwanted stranger**

**There is no danger**

**I am here tonight**

**Little child**

**Be not afraid**

**Though thunder explodes**

**And lightning flash **

**Illuminates your tearstained face**

**I am here tonight**

**And someday you'll know**

**That nature is so**

**This same rain that draws you near me**

**Falls on rivers and land**

**And forests and sand**

**Makes the beautiful world that you see**

**In the morning**


End file.
